Fluid dispensing apparatus



Jan. 13, 1942. PATT|$QN 2,269,882

FLUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed July 8, 1939 INVENTOR 26 d PM;

Patented Jan. 13, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Hubert A. Pattiso-n, White Plains, N. Y.

Application July 8, 1939, Serial No. 283,403

5 Claims.

This invention relates to fluid dispensing apparatus and more particularly to improvements in water sprinklers of the type that are supplied with water under pressure from a water main.

The principal object of the invention is the provision in a fluid dispensing apparatus of a valve to open and shut off the supply of fluid and means for operating said valve from a point removed from the dispensing apparatus.

In applying the invention to a lawn sprinkler, a valve is associated with the sprinkler for opening and shutting off the supply of Water thereto, and means provided for controlling the valve, which means may be operated by a movement of that end of the hose or other conduit that is connected to the sprinkler. In operation, after the sprinkler has been set in position and the usual valve opened to supply water from the water main through the hose and thence to the sprinkler, the flow of water to the sprinkler head may be controlled by moving the end of the hose which is connected to the sprinkler, with the result that an operation of the valve at the water main is not required unless it is desired to disconnect the hose and sprinkler therefrom.

One embodiment of the invention is disclosed in the accompanying drawing which illustrates a lawn sprinkler provided with a valve and means for operating the same so designed that when the end of the hose connected to the sprinkler is moved the valve is operated. Since the end of the hose connected to the sprinkler may be moved by applying a force to the hose at any point in its length, the sprinkler valve may be operated from a point outside of the area being wet by the sprinkler.

The novelty and utility of the invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description of the embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly in vertical section, of a lawn sprinkler embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrow.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction indicated bythe arrow, and

Fig. 4 is an end elevation, partly in section, of a modification of the valve operating means shown in Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawing in detail in which like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views, I indicates a sprinkler head, which may be of any desired construction, the form shown being of the rotary type, and is mounted upon a casing 2 which is supported by Wheels 3 and 4. The wheel 3 is rotatably mounted upon a stub shaft 5 carried by the casing 2. The wheel 4 is fixed to a stub shaft 6 by a set screw 1, said shaft 6 having attached thereto a valve core 8 rotatably mounted within a bore in the casing 2. The end of the bore is closed by a plug 9 secured to the casing 2 by screws Ill. The plug 9 has an opening to receive the stub shaft 6 and provides a bearing therefor. A gasket I I and gland I2 serve to prevent leakage of water. The valve core 8 is provided with a transverse passage I3 which, upon rotation of the core 8, may be brought into registry with a passage It leading to the sprinkler head I and with a passage I5 communicating with a nipple [6 to which a hose I1 is connected by means of the usual form of hose coupling I8. Means is provided for lightly holding the valve core 8 in its adjusted position and comprises a ratchet wheel l9 secured to the stub shaft 5. A pawl 28, carried by one end of a spring 2| secured by'screws 22,

to the casing 2, engages the teeth of the ratchet l1 and lightly holds the ratchet wheel in its adjusted position. By means of the pawl 28 and indicia 23 on the ratchet wheel N, Fig. 3, visible through the spokes of the wheel 4, the position to which the valve core 8 has been adjusted, may be determined.

In operation the sprinkler is .set in position, the hose I! connected to the Water main and the valve at the main opened to pass water into the hose and thence to the sprinkler. To start the sprinkler in operation, the user grasps the hose at a point well removed from the sprinkler and draws it toward him. This movement of the hose pulls the sprinkler rotating the wheels 3 and 4, the latter turning the valve core 8 until the passage I3 of the valve core registers with the passages l4 and I 5 to pass water from the hose I1 into the sprinkler and causing it to operate. As the wheel 4 revolved, the teeth of the ratchet wheel IS in turning raised and lowered the pawl 28, the pawl coming to rest when the ratchet stopped rotating and served to hold the ratchet I9, stub shaft 6 and valve core 8 in their adjusted positions. When it is desired to stop the sprinkler, the user grasps the hose at a point out of. range of the sprinkler head I and by pulling.

on the hose, draws the sprinkler toward him causing a rotation of the wheel 4 and valve core 8 to move the passage I 3 in the valve core 8 out of registry with the passages l5 and I6, cutting ofi the flow of water to the sprinkler head.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the valve 8 may be adjusted to any desired position, either partly or fully open or closed by pulling the hose I! to rotate the wheel 4, and that after the valve at the water main is once opened it need not be again operated during the use of the sprinkler, i. e., during the movement of the sprinkler from place to place to cover the area to be watered.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4, the valve core 8 is operated by a bevel gear 30 fixed to the stub shaft 6 which gear is turned when a bevel gear 3| meshing therewith is rotated. The bevel gear 3! is fixed upon a sleeve 32 rotatably mounted upon a conduit 33 communicating with the passage Also carried by the sleeve 32 is an externally threaded boss 34 adapted to receive the usual form of hose coupling l8. A lock nut .36 on the boss 34 serves to lock the hose coupling I8 in place on the boss.

In operation, the sprinkler is set in position, the hose l I connected to the water main and the valve at the main opened to pass water into the hose and thence to the sprinkler. To start the sprinkler in operation, the user grasps the hose at a point well removed from the sprinkler and turns the hose in his hands. The rotation of the hose causes the sleeve 32 to turn, rotating the gear 3| which drives the gear 30 to rotate the valve plug 8' until the passage l3 therein registers with the passages l5 and M to feed water from the hose IT to the sprinkler head I. To turn off the water at the sprinkler, the user turns the hose in his hands in either direction until through the sleeve gears 3| and 30 the valve plug 8' is rotated to move the passage [3 in the valve plug 8 out of registry with the passages l5 and I4.

Although the sprinkler shown in Fig. 4 is like that shown in Fig. 1, except for the modified means for controlling the valve plug 8, the sprinkler of Fig. 4 need not be mounted upon wheels since the control of the valve plug 8 is not dependent, as in the construction of Fig. 1, upon a rotation of the wheel 4.

In both of the embodiments of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the movement of the! valve plug 8 is accomplished by a movement of that end of the hose H which is connected to the sprinkler. In the construction shown in Fig. 1, the valve plug 8 is operated by a linear movement of the hose ll, whereas in the construction shown in Fig. 4, the valve plug 8' is operated by a rotary movement of the hose II,

It is obvious, of course, that the valve and its operating mechanism may be mounted apart from the sprinkler head and connected therewith by a conduit of any desired length. The valve mechan sm may be mounted either adjacent the sprinkler head or adjacent the point where the hose is connected to the water main; or at any other suitable point, the outlet side of the valve mechanism being connected to the sprinkler head through a conduit of any desired length and the inlet side of the valve mechanism being connected to the water main by a conduit of any desired length. Both such an arrangement and the arrangement shown in the drawing where the sprinkler head and valve mechanism are made as a unit are within the scope of the appended claims.

The type of valve and valve actuating mechanism shown in Figs. 1 and 4 may be replaced by any suitable type of valve and actuating means therefor, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, the only essential being that the valve and its association with its intake passage are such that a movement of the intake passage will cause an operation of the valve.

The term passage as used in the claims defines any portion of the intake side of the valve, 1. e., passage 15, nipple I6, hose coupling (8, or hose [1.

What is claimed is:

1. In a lawn sprinkler of the type connected to a fixed source of supply by a flexible conduit and movable from one location to another on the lawn, a sprinkler head, a body portion, a valve carried by the body portion for controlling the supply of fluid to the sprinkler head and located near the end of the conduit adjacent the sprinkler head, and means responsive to a predetermined movement of the portion of the conduit connected to said body portion for actuating said valve to control the fluid supply to the sprinkler head.

2. In a lawn sprinkler of the type connected to a fixed source of supply by a flexible conduit and movable from one location to another on the lawn, a sprinkler head, a body portion, a valve carried by the body portion for controlling the supply of fluid to the sprinkler head and located near the end of the conduit adjacent the sprinkler head, and means operable from a distance in response to a force applied to said conduit for actuating said valve to control the supply of fluid to said sprinkler head.

3. In a lawn sprinkler of the type which is connected to a fixed source of supply by a flexible conduit and is movable from one location to another on the lawn, a sprinkler head for distributing water, a body portion associated therewith having a valve carried thereby for controlling the supply of fluid to the sprinkler head and located near the end of the conduit which is adjacent the sprinkler head, and means for actuating said valve including an element engaging the ground responsive to a movement of said body portion as when the body portion is moved by a pull on the hose.

4. In a lawn sprinkler of the type which is connected to a fixed source of supply by a flexible conduit and is movable from one location to another on the lawn, a sprinkler head, a body portion having a valve carried thereby for controlling the supply of fluid to the sprinkler head and located near the end of the conduit adjacent the sprinkler head, a carriage for supporting said body portion, and means responsive to a movement of said carriage for actuating said valve to control the fluid supply to the sprinkler head.

5. In a lawn sprinkler of the type which is connected to a fixed source of supply by a fiexible conduit and is movable from one location to another on the lawn, a sprinkler head, a body portion having a valve carried thereby for controlling the supply of fluid to the sprinkler head and located near the end of the conduit adjacent the sprinkler head, and means responsive to a rotational movement of said conduit for actuating said valve.

HUBERT A, PATTISON. 

